In Charlotte's Eyes

Infectious

The next day, at work, Suzuki met with Charlotte during break. They both sat at a table outside. The sun was bright, only a few clouds in the air. There was a strong breeze, which almost blew their lunches away a few times. After quickly eating, the two began talking. Keep things normal.

It was nice for Suzuki, it helped keep him distracted from how stressful work had gotten for him recently, due to Charlotte. He felt like he might get a pay cut or a demotion soon. But he wasn't gonna stop backing Charlotte, even if the higher ups disagreed with him.

“Yeah, I feel like he's been avoiding me.” Charlotte confessed, looking away. “Even when I hang out with Aaron, he turns down going along with us.”

“That's weird. I still hang with Carlos pretty often.” He chuckled.

“Do you? Does he say anything about me?”

He shook his head once. “No. I'm the only one who brings you up when talking about work.”

“Hm. Maybe he just doesn't like me.” She crossed her arms, half joking.

Suzuki’s phone buzzed, signaling that break was almost over. He picked it up from the table. He starts, “Next shift is in five minutes.”

Charlotte stood up. She smiled at him with furrowed brows. “Well, guess we should head back then, huh?”

“Hold on.” He accessed his camera app. Might as well get the picture now. “Quick photo?” He held his phone up with both hands.

She paused, then snickered. She smirked at him. “Photo?” She sat back down, putting her hands on the table.

“Yeah.” He smiled awkwardly. “It's so beautiful out, I feel like taking a picture.”

She giggled. “Okay, okay.” She entertained him. She began scooting over towards him.

“No, no– just you.”

Her smile remained, but she gave him a weird look. “Oh. Okay.” She scooched back to her original spot.

“Great, and..” As he was setting the photo up, he noticed that the teal colored splotch had moved over her eyebrow. He hadn't noticed it earlier, but he now knew that it was growing fast. “Three, two..” Charlotte smirked at the camera, a hand hovering above her lip, with the other arm resting in front of her on the table. “One.”

He took the photo.

“Thanks.” He beamed at her.

She chuckled, waving him off nonchalantly. “Sure.” It was a random thing for him to do, but it made her feel a little good, being the subject of an impulsive photo.

As the two began walking back to work, Suzuki sent Parker the picture of her to him. Hopefully Parker knew what it was, and that it wasn't anything serious.

…

Charlotte yawned. There were no boxes for her to stack. Now she was waiting for more boxes to slide their way into her trailer. It was raining outside, evident by the sounds of raindrops smacking against the top of the trailer. She leaned against the side of the trailer, arms crossed.

She perked up slightly, noticing Suzuki turn and walk towards her trailer. He passed the packed set of rollers and met her at the entrance of the trailer. She looked down at him. “Sup.” She smirked at him.

“Charlotte,” Suzuki grimaced. “How do you feel?”

Her smirk disappeared, and her brows furrowed in confusion. “What..? I feel fine.” What was up with him? He had been acting strange today. “..Why?”

“Uh, Parker informed me that your.. thing,” He motioned to her teal splotch. “Is a dangerous.. infection.” He said carefully, unsure.

Her eyes widened. “Parker?” She blurted. He knew about it?

“Yeah. I asked him about it, and he told me that it's a mold infection.”

She scowled, looking away. Goddamnit. She was avoiding Parker because of this.. thing. She grumbled uncomfortably, unsure of what to say.

Suzuki slowly approached her. “Charlotte. Is this as serious as Parker says it is?”

“...”

“I mean-.. you seem fine. You aren't weaker.” He put a hand on the back of his neck. “I don't know anything about this.”

She glanced at him. “I don't know- I feel fine.” She muttered.

“That's good.” Suzuki sighed. “Uh. Parker told me that it’s really dangerous. That it could.. even take your life? Is that true..?”

“I.. I don't know.” She paused. “I don't even know what this is.”

“Do you want to leave early and get diagnosed?”

She stared down at his feet, unable to look him in the eyes. “..No.”

“Charlotte.” He sighed through his nose. “If you don't do it now, will you do it after our shift ends?”

She groaned quietly and unsurely. She felt reluctant. She didn't want to.

“I'm worried about your health. If what Parker tells me is correct, I'd hate to see you suffer.”

“...”

Aaron’s face peeked into the trailer. “Oh, hey guys.”

The two looked at him. “Oh, sup?” Suzuki smiled lightly.

“What're you two up to, eh?” Aaron asked as he began rolling up the chute that went into the trailer.

“Nothing important.” He responded. He then turned to Charlotte, giving her a concerned, but expecting, look. He dropped out of the trailer. “You two work on getting these NCs in.” He gestured to the stacked rollers.

“On it, boss.” Aaron picked up the first box. He rolled it to Charlotte. She picked it up and put it on the wall.

…

Later that evening, when Charlotte got off of work, she walked out to her car. When she slid inside, her phone began ringing. She pulled it out of her work backpack. Parker’s name and face greeted her. She grimaced. He was gonna call about the supposed infection on her face. She really didn't feel like talking about it right now.

Sighing through her nose, she set her phone down on the passenger side and listened to it ring out. Once it did, she turned her car on and began driving away. As she exited the parking lot, her phone buzzed again with a text message. She glanced at the screen from her side.

It was from Parker.

She looked away, and kept on driving.

-